Granted that car was made in significantly smaller numbers, I think the E9x will have a similar cache, in 20 years.

If BMW continues to make turbo M3s for the next 3 generations, and the poorly-maintained E9x M3's get weeded out due to age, we will see our cars held in a similarly high regard in the future.

I'm keeping this car for the next 2 decades and we'll see what happens.

trying to compare the two is silly. the e30 m3 was a brilliant success at doing something different as a homologation vehicle and was arguably the most successful touring car ever. the fat pig e9x not so much. will it be a desirable in the future? only time will tell. i wouldn't want to deal with 20 plus year old tech that is temperamental now.

I bought now because I wanted to experience the M3 at it's peak. It's most perfect form as a racecar daily driver. Sure the new one will be faster, more powerful, have slightly better fuel economy, be more gadgety, but it won't feel like a thoroughbred driver's car. I'm sure it will be excellent, but I wanted the last hoorah gas guzzler V8 F1 inspired engine. I'll be driving this one for years to come.

This sounds kinda silly, but every time i take my S65 to the redline, i get that silly grin and wonders if i ever need to get a Ferrari? Is the V8 in the 458 that much better than the S65? The S65 is already an amazing engine...

Own both E90 and E46 M3. But E46 M3 is somehow more special to me. The E90 is a great M to haul my family and friends but don't think it's any where close to the last samuri character compare to the E46 M3.

The BMW M team was all about high revving motors and had followed Ferrari's V8 very closely. Maybe the pressure from AMG's E63 (V8 bi-turbo) and Audi's RS6 (V10 bi-turbo) were just too much for the M team to beat with the new M5 if it was kept NA. The decision to turbo charge the M5 made it's way to the new M3 as well.

The E92 M3's V8 is not quite as great as Ferrari's V8, but it's damn close.

I have never been a fan of turbo cars despite the prodigious amounts of torque that can be easily produced. Sure I want a certain absolute amount of speed capability, but my enjoyment of driving truly comes from how my mind and body interface with the car. Does the car, in all its aspects feel wired in to my own nervous system?

There is an inherent disconnect with turbo cars. The output of the motor just isn't totally in sync with what the driver does. It's like watching a movie where the sound is just off ever so slightly from the movement of the actors lips.

The current M3 V8 is so responsive and so linear. The baritone trumpeting of the eight cylinders with their own throttle body is an auditory orgasm for any car enthusiast. It is simply a feast for the senses.

I will always favor the highly tuned NA motor for the more enjoyable subjective driving experience, as well as for the appreciation of the engineering that went into it.

Absolutely agree with this.

With the V8 M3 it is not all about "how much" but "how". That exquisitely responsive engine with its superb range of noises (music would be a better word) can be out-performed by quite a few affordable cars, but they cannot better its feel and response.

People who are more interested in "how much" will be happy with the next generation turbo-charged car.

All subsequent M3's will depreciate and not really be a collectible car. The clean and well maintained will be at a premium, and probably harder to find as these cars become more affordable. They are all special in their own way.

With the V8 M3 it is not all about "how much" but "how". That exquisitely responsive engine with its superb range of noises (music would be a better word) can be out-performed by quite a few affordable cars, but they cannot better its feel and response.

People who are more interested in "how much" will be happy with the next generation turbo-charged car.

True!

To me the real question is more if a supercharged S65 is a more fun engine to drive then the next turbo 6cyl with a tune will be, if they have about the same hp!! I love the torque of turbo engines but with AWD, not sure how much fun a 500+lb-ft torque RWD M3 would be. I just have a VT1-535 and I'm having a hard time not spinning everytime in 2nd gear with 295s AD08s. But I'm sure M engineers have tought of all that!!

I bought now because I wanted to experience the M3 at it's peak. It's most perfect form as a racecar daily driver. Sure the new one will be faster, more powerful, have slightly better fuel economy, be more gadgety, but it won't feel like a thoroughbred driver's car. I'm sure it will be excellent, but I wanted the last hoorah gas guzzler V8 F1 inspired engine. I'll be driving this one for years to come.

If just look at the engine in an M Car, you are missing the point. I can't recall the M division ever subscribing to any particular feature or spec as the defining characteristic. It has more to do with how everything works together to create the experience. Engines, suspension, brakes, etc all contribute to the experience. Everything has changed over the years. Engines, suspension designs, brakes, wheel designs, CF usage, etc. You could argue that M car should be homologated and hand built and the E9X M3 is a poseur car if you look at the roots of ///M which predated the E30 M3.

Like every other M3, I think the car will hold its value VERY well. Depending on how the DCT holds up, not sure if the E9X platform will command the same premium for 6MT cars like the E46 M3 does.

A clean E36 M3 still sells for over $10k nowadays despite being 14-18 years old so that should tell you something. The E36 is the most unreliable M3 to date as well.

Collector value mean nothing to me. I bought my car to drive and enjoy. I'm not rich enough to let it in a pristine condition in the garage for 30+ plus years. When the new M3 comes out, I will test drive it. But I will get a new car before then, and it's looking more and more like a Porsche S. We shall see. I will have paid off my M in February of 2014. I will keep it for all the awesome moments it has given me.

Ditto. I think the engine will be a classic and was a critical part of my calculus in buying this gen M3.

But I do use mine and put up 12k+ / yr. Stone chips etc - it could not remain pristine as some have theirs.

I'm also thinking of a 991 CS. It's sticking to its classic formula (NA boxer-6). I love the V8 and don't want to go turbo 6.

If just look at the engine in an M Car, you are missing the point. I can't recall the M division ever subscribing to any particular feature or spec as the defining characteristic. It has more to do with how everything works together to create the experience. Engines, suspension, brakes, etc all contribute to the experience. Everything has changed over the years. Engines, suspension designs, brakes, wheel designs, CF usage, etc. You could argue that M car should be homologated and hand built and the E9X M3 is a poseur car if you look at the roots of ///M which predated the E30 M3.

Like every other M3, I think the car will hold its value VERY well. Depending on how the DCT holds up, not sure if the E9X platform will command the same premium for 6MT cars like the E46 M3 does.

A clean E36 M3 still sells for over $10k nowadays despite being 14-18 years old so that should tell you something. The E36 is the most unreliable M3 to date as well.

What makes you say that about the E36? I would have thought it's the most reliable, much more so than the E46.

Also one of the reasons I picked the E92 M3 is because it's proved itself to be pretty reliable. That was a big factor in me picking this car.

What makes you say that about the E36? I would have thought it's the most reliable, much more so than the E46.

Interior falls apart, rear subframe issues, cooling system failures...the usual modern BMW stuff. The difference with the E46 M3 is that it does not seem AS prone to those failures. Although SMG E46s aren't THAT much better and then add in the VANOS issues.

Its all relative. I think the M3 has been one of the most reliable BMWs over the past 2 decades.

All subsequent M3's will depreciate and not really be a collectible car. The clean and well maintained will be at a premium, and probably harder to find as these cars become more affordable. They are all special in their own way.

/Thread.

This is post is completely inaccuarte, there is no way to tell for sure that "all" subsequent M3s other than the e30 will or will not be classics, unless you can predict the future.

As for the e9x M3, guess you have not seen Motortrend's latest prediction.